Shattered
by Dellinah
Summary: Kaiba's world got shattered three times that day, the day his brother got hurt. But when Mokuba didn't get better, his world was shattered again. This time, maybe forever.


**Hello human reading this!**

**I don't even know what to say about this. It's 3am and I've been re-watching YGO all week, Mokuba happens to be my favorite and I was in the mood for some brother angst so I wrote this down and thought I should publish it. Almost sure it's my first anime fanfic too!**

**I guess this is set after the series in a 'everything is ok' scenario, you know, no big duels or anything happening. If anything is off cannon, just consider it AU.**

**I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

Everything was going well. It was okay, it was just another day. Until, just like that, it wasn't.

But those things happen all the time, right? Someone trips over their shoelaces, someone slips when they're going downstairs; everyday activities that suddenly could turn out to be harmful when you least expect it.

And that's what happened to Mokuba that day.

How he got injured, nobody really knew, and he couldn't really tell. And it didn't really matter, anyway. The ends mattered, not the means.

So all people said is that he was on the ground, unconscious, alone, in the middle of his room. And he would have stayed there for who knows how long had an employee not stumbled upon him and called for help.

But Mokuba was okay, just passed out; that's what they told Kaiba. And maybe because he was so reassured, Kaiba didn't seem to worry that much, or at all, for his brother's wellbeing. He just asked to be called when he woke up.

And that wasn't unlike the cold-hearted Seto Kaiba, whose expression never changed. Whether he felt sadness or happiness, his outside features would not let it show. Some thought that he was just really good at hiding what he felt under the mask that was his face, but some thought he had nothing to hide because he didn't feel anything at all. But whichever it was, it worked, because nobody ever dared to question him.

So he just got a call later that day, when Mokuba opened his eyes. And with no relief apparent on his voice, he muttered a simple 'Thank you' and hanged up his phone before the hospital staff calling him could even say 'You're welcome'.

* * *

He blinked a couple of times before a confused look that turned into horror took over his face; but that was to be expected after what he'd been through. Mokuba had had a day spent mostly in unconsciousness and woken up in a strange place, so nobody was really alarmed when he looked at them and uttered his first question.

"Where am I?"

That question was to be expected.

They let him know in the nicest of ways, telling him what happened to him and assuring him he was alright. However, instead of getting calmer with the answers, Mokuba seemed to be getting even more confused; as if each answer he got made his confusion worse instead of alleviating it.

But they put it down to the stress he'd been through. Maybe Mokuba was still in shock from his experience. No need to worry.

It wasn't until he asked his second question that the staff around him started getting worried.

"_Who _am I?"

The nurse and the doctor exchanged worried looks. Not only because they had no idea how to answer it, but because of everything that question implied.

The silence in the room had started to grow uncomfortable when it was interrupted by a door opening and everyone turned around to see who it was.

"Mokuba", Kaiba said as he entered the room, expression as still as ever, unintentionally answering his brother's question that he hadn't heard.

Kaiba entered the room and looked at Mokuba for a few seconds before turning to the doctor.

"How is he?" Kaiba asked as though the subject of his question wasn't there, listening to him.

The doctor gulped, unsure of how to word what he wanted to say or unsure of even what to say; until Kaiba's piercing eyes urged him to answer with a frown.

"He's alright, should be well enough to go home," His eyes looked from side to side, avoiding Kaiba's at all costs, "But-"

"Great," Kaiba answered, interrupting the doctor once he had already heard everything he considered necessary and turned to Mokuba, "so we can go home."

And then the third question came, asked while Mokuba stared at his brother with an expression as confused as before.

"Who are _you_?"

Kaiba's immutable expression flickered for a second – like a factory defect, something that shouldn't happen – shock could be seen through his eyes. It was a brief moment, so short that if you blinked you would have missed it, but it was there.

"Mokuba?" Kaiba uttered, bending down slightly so that he was looking his brother in the eye.

He spoke only a word, but that was enough to show everything he was questioning. A stern tone he used, like he demanded an answer immediately; like he was repressing a misbehaved child instead of talking to an injured one.

And maybe that was because he thought Mokuba was joking. That it was a terrible, unfunny joke, and that he'd start giggling under his breath and laughing at Kaiba's face with a 'got you!' expression. Kaiba would not let such a behavior go unnoticed, and he was just waiting for Mokuba to start laughing to tell him not to joke on serious matters.

But that moment never came.

Mokuba's eyes were empty, void of emotion. His lips were a straight, thin line, no glance of a smile to be seen.

For the first time, Kaiba felt what Mokuba felt when he always looked at him.

"Mokuba," Kaiba insisted, his mask refusing to be broken, "Let's go home."

And that was when Kaiba reached out for Mokuba's wrist and held it.

And although it was a soft touch, Mokuba pulled his hand away from Kaiba's touch like it burned his skin. He was scared, flinching at his brother's hold like he was afraid it'd hurt him.

And for the second time that day, Kaiba's 'unbreakable' mask slip and let his emotions be shown. But this time it was longer, for more than a few seconds. Kaiba even let a small gasp slip through his lips, something that only the hardest of duels had managed to get out of him.

Mokuba held his wrist with his other hand, pressing it against his chest as he recoiled on the bed; never breaking eye contact with Kaiba like he was a prey watching every move of a dangerous predator.

And that alone made Kaiba's chest hurt.

"It's okay," The doctor reached for Mokuba and petted him on the head in a reassuring way before turning to Kaiba, "May I speak to you outside?"

Kaiba didn't look away from Mokuba either, taking a deep breath.

"Of course," he answered, and started following the doctor outside.

The doctor exited the room and Kaiba followed him, but stopped at the doorway of the room. He looked over his shoulder to look at Mokuba again for a few seconds. The boy hadn't moved an inch – still holding his wrist, still staring at Kaiba, still _scared._

Kaiba waited until the last second for Mokuba to tell him it was all a joke that went too far. He waited, he gave Mokuba the chance to tell him.

But it never happened.

Kaiba took a deep breath and let the door behind him go at last. And it wasn't until the door closed that Kaiba's hope died, gone like a flame in the wind.

And his world was shattered yet again.

* * *

"Amnesia?" Kaiba asked, and if you listened closely enough, you might hear a hint of fear in his voice.

"We… We haven't had a chance to ask him about it. Sometimes it happens when someone hits their head," The doctor scratched the back of his neck, fiddling with words, "Maybe we should let him rest a little. He just doesn't seem to remember anything for now."

"Not even me," Kaiba muttered under his breath, and the doctor wasn't even sure if he was supposed to have heard it.

So they just stayed in silence.

"Well," Kaiba crossed his arms, "And when will he get his memory back?" He asked in a really demanding tone, like he was going to be really mad if he didn't get the exact answer he wanted.

But there was no exact answer to that.

"We… Can't know," The doctor looked down, "It might be in a few hours," He smiled, being optimistic, but his smile soon faded, "Or it may take a few days. But sometimes…"

He never finished the sentence. And Kaiba had a hunch of what he meant, but he wouldn't dare give in to his fears just yet.

"Sometimes…?" Kaiba urged.

"Sometimes it never comes back."

Kaiba stood still as his pupils shrunk in his eyes with the shock, the one and only sign of his emotions. He was still a rock, he still had a reputation to keep. And he couldn't let anything break that.

Not even Mokuba.

"Alright," He said and turned around, walking away. "Just let me know what happens." Kaiba told him, so nonchalantly one couldn't even tell what was going on in his life. And just like that, he left the place.

* * *

Three days. It had been three days.

Kaiba was used to controlling his thoughts. His brain was a machine he'd learn to control and use perfectly. But in those three days, he got more unwanted thoughts than ever before.

At first, they were easy to push away. Or Kaiba could distract himself away from them. But each time, they came back stronger. And each second that went by without the news he wanted was a second those thoughts ate away at him.

Because maybe Mokuba might never remember him.

And there was nothing he could do.

He was sitting in his office, his chin resting on his clasped hands as he looked out the window, undone paperwork sitting ignored on his desk as he tried to avoid the thoughts to no avail.

How could someone who was alive just… _die,_ like Mokuba had?

Everything they had been through, was now gone. Mokuba was alive, but felt gone. He was right there, but out of reach. And maybe forever.

Kaiba's money couldn't get that back, no matter how bad he wanted it.

And then suddenly, it started to rain in the office. At least that's what Kaiba told himself, to convince himself the water in his eyes were raindrops rather than tears. Because he'd never admit he was crying.

But that's what happened, and just like that, his mask was gone.

His world was shattered again. And this time, maybe forever.

* * *

**Oof. What a sad place to end a fic. But like I said, angst. Also Kaiba deserves to be sad sometimes, sorry not sorry.**

**It's 4am and I should sleep. I'm sorry if this is not that good, but it's late and it was just something I got in my head and wanted to write down. I'll probably rewrite it in the morning if I want to fresh it out.**

**Let me know what you think if you feel like it! I thought of writing another part and making it happy, but I'm not sure it this is worth it. Maybe it's just meant to be a sad, bad one shot :P**

**Either way, thank you so so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! See yah next fic :D**


End file.
